Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are required to perform self-care tasks such as getting dressed, using silverware, and completing academic tasks. Throughout early childhood, it is important to develop the ability to cut with scissors, utilize paint brushes or colored pencils, and create artwork using beads, string, and other small materials as it develops the skills necessary for more complex tasks the older the child develops. As your child enters school, coordination of the muscles in the hands become critical for handwriting. When fine motor skills are weak, your child’s academic potential could be affected which can lead to frustration and poor attention towards schoolwork or in the classroom.